‘Friends’ box set only for devotees

For 10 seasons and 236 episodes, “Friends” was there for us to tune in, zone out and dream of cracking that inner circle.

NBC’s powerhouse of the 1990s, “Friends” was the ultimate escapist sitcom. It was a rather unrealistic show of six impossibly beautiful people navigating life and love – sometimes within their group – in pre-9/11 New York.

Every Thursday for 10 seasons, you could count on them to be there, complete with the annoying theme song by The Rembrandts titled: “I’ll Be There For You.” (Rare is it for a one-hit wonder to be stretched out for 10 seasons).

And, for all their sheen and effortless banter, these weren’t actors who didn’t land their dream gig the first time, giving them sort of an underdog quality. Chances are, watching television in the 1980s and 1990s, you probably have seen the six in some forgettable shows (anyone remember Schwimmer in the horrible “Monty”? Or Aniston in the cheesy TV adaption of “Ferris Bueller”? What about LeBlanc in the lame “Married With Children” spinoff “Top of the Heap”?)

Back to reality. You most likely weren’t going to be friends with these people. But for 30 minutes once a week, you were invited into their universe and pretend to be in their clique.

Questions such as how do these people, who spend a meager amount of time earning a living at what seem to be entry-level jobs, manage to pay the rent and have disposable income in one of the most expensive cities in the world weren’t meant to be answered. We were invited to eavesdrop. And escape the drudgery of life and frolic about in the playground of New York via these characters.

The show quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Hanging out with friends at a coffee house was the chic thing to do. Women would want their hair styled like Aniston’s Rachel or Cox’s Monica. And men would try to pick up women with Joey’s “How ya doin.”

Throughout the series, we see Chandler and Monica get married and experience some angst about not being able to conceive naturally. We see Ross and Rachel on again, off again, really on again when they become parents after a one-night stand, off again and finally, on again. We see Phoebe get married, and we see Joey start to break free for his own series (which lasted two seasons after Friends ended).
It’s comfort television for Generation Xers.

Bonus features:

More than 20 hours of special features, including a surprisingly interesting documentary on how and why “Friends” was developed and how it was casted.

Also included are:

• Legacy of Friends: Why the show had to come to an end, its influence on pop culture and the legacy that it left behind; • The Original Producer’s Cut for ‘The One Where Rachel Tells Ross’: The episode is re-assembled back to its original form. An introduction by Kevin Bright will set up the episode and explain why it was ultimately edited before air. • The Original Script for ‘The One Where Rachel Tells Ross’
• Friends On The Tonight Show with Jay Leno;
• Friends Visit The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2004)
• The Ones With More Friends: The original extended broadcast episodes • The One with the Never-Before-Seen Gags: Originally for the cast and crew, this never-before-seen gag reel has all the laughs that were too funny to include on the DVD • The Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There For You”: Official music video featuring the cast of Friends • Friends Around the World: Explores the Friends phenomenon around the globe • On Location in London: Cross the Atlantic for a whirlwind English visit with Friends • The One That Goes Behind the Scenes: The full hour-long Discovery Channel Documentary • Behind the Style: The Look of Friends: Costume designer Debra McGuire, hair stylist Jonathan Hanousek, and makeup artist Robin Siegel offer an inside look at Friends fashion, hair and makeup over the years • The Flaming Lips: Phoebe Battles the Pink Robots music video featuring Lisa Kudrow and directed by Kevin S. Bright • Friends Final Thoughts: The cast and producers reflect during their final days at work and after series production ends • Never-before-seen uncut version of Smelly Cat
• Matt LeBlanc Joey Joey music video
• Commentaries from 31 episodes
• Friends of Friends video guestbook
• Gag reels from multiple seasons

Bottom line: If you’re a devotee of the series, or a devotee of sitcoms, this is worth your $279.98. Otherwise, if you’re indifferent to “Friends” and are content to watch it in syndication, don’t bother purchasing.